OFFICIAL: Atalanta snap up Marseille fullback Kolasinac

Atalanta have signed Sead Kolasinac from Olympique Marseille.

The former Arsenal defender joins La Dea after coming off contract at OM on Friday.

Atalanta announced today: "Atalanta BC is pleased to announce that the player Sead Kolašinac has joined the Nerazzurri after the season and a half (from January 2022 to May 2023) played under Olympique Marseille, with whom he collected a total of 58 appearances with 4 goals and 2 assists.

"The Bosnian left-handed defender, with German citizenship, was born in Karlsruhe on 20 June 1993, starting to play football in his hometown club and then moving first to Hoffenheim and later to Stuttgart.

"Purchased from Schalke 04, he made his debut in the Bundesliga with the Gelsenkirchen team on 15 September 2012, making his debut in the Champions League shortly after, more precisely on 4 December 2012 against Montpellier. After five seasons in Germany, with 123 overall appearances, 4 goals and 13 assists scored, he moved to Arsenal in the summer of 2017. In England he made his debut by scoring a goal in the Community Shield, which was then won on penalties against Chelsea.

"From January to June 2021, a new spell at Schalke 04 (17 appearances, 1 goal and 1 assist), before returning to Arsenal with whom he still played half a season until January 2022 before moving to France. With the Gunners he played a total of 118 games, scored 5 goals and 15 assists, also winning an FA Cup and another Community Shield in addition to his debut season. In 2018-19 he was included by UEFA in the Europa League team of the season, a competition in which he stood out with the London club by reaching the final.

"His career with the Bosnia-Herzegovina national team was also significant, with which he made his debut at the age of just twenty in 2013: since then 53 appearances (enhanced by 5 assists), including two matches in the 2014 World Cup.

"He arrives in Bergamo with a wealth of experience of over 300 appearances (317 to be precise) at club level alone between Schalke 04, Arsenal and Olympique Marseille, including 50 matches in European competitions (13 in the Champions League, 34 in the Europa League and 3 in the Conference League). After playing in the Bundesliga, Premier League and Ligue 1, Serie A now awaits him.

"Atalanta BC extends a warm welcome to Sead and wishes him the best satisfaction – personal and as a team – in the Nerazzurri shirt."